"Clang!!!"
The force testing device shattered into countless pieces, the special pressure-resistant target also pierced by flames, filling the air with the scent of burning.
The Fire Tooth Dog looked at the results with satisfaction.
It turned its head, wanting to show off to its Beastmaster.
But it found her standing there dazed, like she had been struck by lightning.
"Ya?"
Worried, the Fire Tooth Dog rushed over.
Surely, its Beastmaster didn't suddenly turn silly?
Qiao Sang took a long time to accept reality.
If heaven granted her another chance, she swore she would never step foot into that beast fitness center with her Fire Tooth Dog again!
No! She meant she wouldn't step foot into any beast fitness center!
All eyes in the fitness center were on Qiao Sang as she shakily took out her phone and dialed a number.
"Hello, Mom…"
An hour later, led by her mother, Qiao Sang left the beast fitness center.
"You’ve done this three times in one month," her mother began.
Qiao Sang knew exactly what her mother was referring to.
Once the television, once the porcelain vase, and once the force testing device.
But what her mother didn’t know was there was also that wall in the alley…
“It’s all my fault,” Qiao Sang admitted.
The television was from when she watched it with the Fire Tooth Dog, the porcelain vase was because she made the Fire Tooth Dog clean up, and the force testing device was something she made it test.
And then there was that wall in the alley…
"Of course it’s your fault," her mother sighed, glancing over. "This money will be deducted from your allowance every month, 2000 Alliance Coins until it’s paid off."
Qiao Sang’s mind quickly calculated.
Her mother just had to compensate 34,000 Alliance Coins.
At 2000 a month, that meant it would take over a year and five months to pay off…
What a tragedy…
...
At 7:30 PM,
Qiao Sang diligently studied the remaining contestants in the Bai Xin competition.
After today’s matches, the top 16 had finally been decided.
If she won tomorrow, she would be among the top 8.
While the rewards for places 4 to 10 weren’t as rich as the top 3, they all received 30,000 Alliance Coins, just enough to cover her losses today.
Qiao Sang looked through the list she had just compiled.
In the top 16, only four, including herself, were still using elementary companion beasts.
The other 12 contestants all had intermediate companion beasts.
Among these 12, three had two intermediate companion beasts each.
In total, there were 15 intermediate beasts; as long as she didn’t encounter one of them…
Qiao Sang analyzed the data for more than an hour.
"Ya."
At that moment, the Fire Tooth Dog called out.
Qiao Sang looked down and saw three pairs of sunglasses in yellow, purple, and green laid out on the ground.
"Yaya."
The Fire Tooth Dog glanced at its Beastmaster and then at the sunglasses, looking quite troubled.
"Let’s go with this one," Qiao Sang said, pointing to the purple sunglasses.
These days, during the competitions, the Fire Tooth Dog changed sunglasses every day, and it had a mild case of decision paralysis. Every time, Qiao Sang had to help it decide.
The Fire Tooth Dog picked up the purple sunglasses that Qiao Sang selected, and turned to look at itself in a nearby standing mirror.
Qiao Sang couldn’t help but smile at the antics of her companion, suddenly remembering something and focusing her mind on the Beastmaster Codex.
She had been so focused on her lost money, she had forgotten to check what skills her Fire Tooth Dog had awakened.
[Name: Fire Tooth Dog]
[Attribute: Fire]
[Level: Junior (160/1000)+]
[Skills: Bite (Entry 74/100)+ Bold Charge (Proficient 466/500)+ Fire Fang (Minor Completion 609/2000)+ Spark (Minor Completion 745/2000)+ Shadow Clone (Entry 72/100)+ Flame Whirlpool (Proficient 118/500)+ Fiery Charge (Entry 1/100)+]
[Points: 220]
In the past two days, the Fire Tooth Dog had not stopped training, and all its stats had slightly increased.
The Flame Whirlpool had advanced from Entry level to Proficient level.
Points had risen by 80 after defeating the Desert-Tailed Fox and 14 from defeating the Strength Pig.
The points gained from defeating the Desert-Tailed Fox varied.
Qiao Sang guessed it was because the first victory against the Desert-Tailed Fox was when it teamed up with a Plump Dove, and although the final blow was done by the Fire Tooth Dog, it only received a partial score.
Similarly, the points from defeating the Strength Pig were different from previous victories against elementary companion beasts.
It seemed to be due to differences in strength.
Qiao Sang shifted her gaze to the skills section at the end.
Fiery Charge!
This skill was among the more difficult mid-tier skills to learn; if one sought a specialized training institution for Fiery Charge, it would likely start in the six figures.
If only she had the money to buy materials to give the Fire Tooth Dog a soak; one session would cost over 10,000 Alliance Coins, and soaking for half a month would total nearly 160,000 Alliance Coins…
Qiao Sang remained stunned for a while.
So, on reflection, she seemed to have profited!
...
...
The next day,
Shoke Garden,
Beast Combat Arena.
Qiao Sang sat in her usual spot and spotted Bai Yunmiao.
"What's up? Did your parents fight again?" Qiao Sang chuckled as she sat beside her with the Fire Tooth Dog.
"Qiao genius, you’re so clever!" Bai Yunmiao exclaimed in admiration.
Qiao Sang: "..."
"How did it happen again?" Qiao Sang asked.
"It’s still about yesterday; I asked for the Golden Vine’s opinion, and it wanted to evolve into Sweet Convergence Vine. I told my parents, and my dad said it was my mom’s influence that made me make that decision, and then they started arguing." Bai Yunmiao explained.
Qiao Sang: "..."
How real domestic life seems...
Before she could think of how to comfort her friend, Bai Yunmiao exclaimed in surprise, "Qiao genius, why do I feel you’re different compared to a few days ago?"
Qiao Sang blinked, asking, "What’s different?"
"Your expression has changed; a few days ago you seemed calm and composed like a master, but today you look all cheerful and sunny." Bai Yunmiao leaned closer with a smile and asked, "Did you encounter something good?"
"You noticed that?" Qiao Sang sighed.
"What is it?" Bai Yunmiao looked curious.
"Yesterday, the Fire Tooth Dog broke a force testing device…" Qiao Sang paused.
Bai Yunmiao's gaze uncontrollably shifted to the Fire Tooth Dog wearing sunglasses.
No wonder it was a fire-type beast; only someone like Qiao Sang could handle its personality. She definitely couldn’t.
Even if her mind domain expanded and she could contract a second beast, she would never consider a fire-type…
"And then it learned Fiery Charge," Qiao Sang continued.
"Wow!" Bai Yunmiao’s eyes widened instantly.
She wished for a thousand fire-type companion beasts just like that!
Due to fewer contestants and ample time, the matches for the top 16 didn’t display all competitors’ groups directly on the big screen like the previous days.
Instead, once a group finished, the next matchups would be shown on the big screen.
Contestants didn’t need to queue backstage in advance.
After a group finished their matches, a beast performer would take the stage to entertain the audience in between matches.
With the sound of fireworks, the beast performer set the stage ablaze.
After the commentator and guests completed their opening remarks, the photos on the big screen above the arena kept changing.
Five seconds later, a set of photos appeared on the screen.
"The first group battle list has been established! First, we have Lu You, who has the symbol of strength, a Little Horned Dragon as his companion beast! And representing us, we have Qiao Sang, who boldly contracted a fire-type Fire Tooth Dog as her companion beast!" the commentator passionately announced.
(End of this chapter)